Good Source for Copper Coil Stock
GoldenWreckedAngle
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I’m looking for a good source for copper coil stock to wrap the exposed double 2×6 rafter tails on our house.
16 oz., 14″ width min., about 290 linear feet (or half that many linear feet @ twice the width.)
A resource within 150 miles or so of Abilene, Texas would be nice but freight on that quantity probably wouldn’t be too big a deal from elsewhere.
Ah-pree-shate-cha!
Kevin Halliburton
“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.” – Solomon
Replies
I got mine from N. B. Handy Co. in Roanoake VA:
http://www.nbhandy.com/home.nsf
Joe H. also knows a place up north that had good prices.
-- J.S.
Most roofing supply houses sell sheet and coil copper. Have you checked there yet? A city the size of Abilene ought to have several sources. If that doesn't turn up anything, look in the yellow pages under "gutters". There should be someone advertising copper gutters. They might very well cut you off what you need.
Thanks - I did find some copper with a local roofing company and a gutter bender both but since local supply is very limited they want about $3.40 a pound for it. That will buy a lot of shipping at normal copper prices.
Even at it's current inflated rate copper is about $1.00 a pound less than that from most of the supply houses I've found on the internet. Of course, it was about $.75 a pound last year when I was putting together our budget.
Yikes! I may have to resort to copper coated aluminum or something. Gonna be tough to make the seams look good if I have to go that route though. Nothing but, nothing but, nothing looks like copper. Especially after about 5 years worth of patina. Maybe I can find someone in the market for a kidney that will go for a swap or something.<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS,Sans-Serif" color=black size=3><EM>Kevin Halliburton</EM></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><EM><FONT face="Comic Sans MS,Sans-Serif" color=darkblue size=2>"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." - Solomon</FONT></EM></FONT></P>
Hold out for a little while if you can - cu dropped $.15/lb in the last week.
Thanks, I'm trying to figure a way to do exactly that. I was planning to build a box that would slide up from the bottom with tabs folding over the top to nail it in place. That would be capped with a second piece that folded down over the edges about 1/2" or so and is soldered on. Once the copper is done the tails get tongue and groove cedar over them prior to the metal roof going down so the copper kind of has to go first.
If I could just figure a way to build the caps only, then come back later and slip the bottom part under them and solder without scorching the tongue and groove I'd be all set. You've done a ton of copper - Do you think I could get away with it using a low temp solder and heat shields? Would I be able to count on flux to clean up the back side of the cap enough to take solder down the road or should I pre-tin now and just heat it up later to re-flow it when the bottom wrap is ready?
Oh yea, one other thing... cedar reacts unpredictably with so many things. Any problem with copper and cedar that you know of?<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS,Sans-Serif" color=black size=3><EM>Kevin Halliburton</EM></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><EM><FONT face="Comic Sans MS,Sans-Serif" color=darkblue size=2>"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." - Solomon</FONT></EM></FONT></P>
I have copper drip edge, copper valley flashing, copper fresh air intakes, copper range hood exhaust and hrv vents. The house has cedar trim and cedar shingle walls I have not noticed any problems.
I'm not sure I'm exactly picturing what you're trying to do. If I'm thinking right, you're going to be nailing thru the caps you install when the t&g is installed. If that's the case, why do you need to solder at all. I tend to think in terms of how I can fold something so I don't need to solder it. Can you make your caps with a receiving lock on each side? Then, fabricate the bottom with the opposite side of the lock on each side of it and slip it in place. Mallet it tight and you're done.
Oh, yeah. The tannins in cedar do react with copper and degrade it somewhat. When the flow is from over the cedar to the copper, the copper gets eaten. Look at any cedar roof with copper valleys and you'll see the copper stays shiney at the bottom of the trots between the shingles. The copper is getting worn away, but, I've never seen a copper valley fail before the cedar. Flashings should be replaced when reroofed anyway. And copper looks so damned good with cedar anyway.
Edited 4/29/2004 3:17 pm ET by greencu
I have yet to see anything copper didn't look good with but you're right, cedar and copper make a particularly tasty combo.
Thanks for the idea about the lock lip. Here are a couple of pictures of the template, both folded and open and one of the house showing the exposed tails. The idea is to put the bottom piece on and nail through the folded lip into the top of the joists then put the cap on top of that and seal it up nice and tight with solder. The tongue and groove decking gets nailed through the cap after that.
I may slip a felt strip between the copper and deck to insure the cedar doesn't react with it. Neither cedar or copper should get too wet under the overhang so I hope both will outlast me.<P><FONT face="Comic Sans MS,Sans-Serif" color=black size=3><EM>Kevin Halliburton</EM></FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3><EM><FONT face="Comic Sans MS,Sans-Serif" color=darkblue size=2>"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." - Solomon</FONT></EM></FONT></P>
I don't see what you need to solder, except maybe the front of the cap. That's a nice clean detail. I've done similar projects with just the cap part. Instead of soldering, you might consider hemming the edges and just making sure everthing is overlapped down hill. Have fun and let's see some pics when you're done.
Most roofer's supply houses sell sheet and coil copper. A city the size of Abilene ought to have several sources. If you don't have any luck there, look in the yellow pages under "gutters". There should be someone advertising copper gutters. They might be willing to cut you off the amount you need.
WA
I picked up six 3x8 sheets of some heavy duty copper from my roofing supply house for about $60 a sheet.
Been bending all my own flashings for the cedar roof and walls I'm doing.
Have fun and
Be well
andy
My life is my passion!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
That's a good price - how long ago was that?Kevin Halliburton
"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." - Solomon
I got 3x10 16 oz at $62.80 last week, but that was on a full pallet.
I found a source for 3x10 16 Oz. in Galveston for $66/sheet and I've talked a local source with an 18" coil of 16 Oz. that he bought a while back down to $2.45/Lb.
I need about 418 pounds or 209 linear feet in that configuration. That makes last year's $300 investment a $1000 decision right now. The roof metal won't be here for a couple more weeks. I may wait another week and see what happens but it looks like I might just have to bite the bullet on this one.
It's gotta be copper... just wont be right any other way. Wonder if the DW will downgrade the kitchen appliances for me. Might oughta stick with the black market kidney idea. :-)>Kevin Halliburton
"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." - Solomon
That was a cpl of weeks ago and theres no minimum.
I just called about copper valley flashing and they want $35 for a 10'X16"My life is my passion!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
I also have a real good source I think for copper gutters at about five bucks a foot from a site I found
Slate and Copper Sales 814 454 1030 and ask for Mike Peterson.....say its a spec house. Its cheaper that way for some reason...tell him I passed him onto you if you call.
Be the tin man
andyMy life is my passion!
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
Thanks Andy - I'll check into it.Kevin Halliburton
"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." - Solomon